On Thursday,The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Government,The Delhi Jal Board and the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) to file a response to Delhi University plea challenging the environment clearance granted for the construction of a housing project in North Campus which is behind the Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station.
After noticing that some of the respondents including the State government, didn’t file their response to the petition.The Bench headed by NGT Judicial Member Justice Raghuvendra S. Rathore has directed the authorities including the Ministry of Defence, to respond latest by November 1, 2018.
The directions came while the green panel was hearing a plea filed by Delhi University demurring to the clearance granted for construction of the housing project.The university has its plea sought rescinding of the environmental clearance granted to the project.
Asserting that if the project fell within 100 meters of the University, which is a silent zone, the plea stated “While granting the impugned environment clearance for construction of the building under the proposed project, the impact that its habitation will bring to the level of air and noise pollution was blatantly ignored by SEIAA [State Environment Impact Assessment Authority]”
DU’s plea also stated that the construction of the project will adversely affect the Northern Ridge, which is close to the North Campus.